(I work at a pretzel store in a mall. We have tiny pretzel stick things that we sell in a cup. Our sauces are extra. We offer a discount to mall employees. One gentleman, wearing a uniform from a mall store, orders a cup of pretzels without sauce. He pays, gets his discount, and as I am filling his cup, he asks for three sauces.)

Me: “Okay, but that’s an extra for each sauce. Is that okay?”

Customer: “What?! I have never paid for sauce here!”

Me: “Okay, well, let me ask my manager if I can give it to you.”

(My manager is standing five feet away and watching this whole exchange.)

Customer: “Ugh, never mind. Just give me two and I’ll pay for them.”

(He gets his food and sauces, pays, and starts to leave. Then, he turns back and asks:)

Customer: “What’s your name?”

Me: “[My Name].”

Customer: “I’m calling your corporate and reporting this.”

(My manager pulled me aside and said, “I kind of hope he does report you. ‘Yeah, hi, I went to one of your locations and your employee wouldn’t give me free food.'”)

(I’m working the chocolate display case in a candy store when a woman approaches me.)

Customer: “How much are the chocolate pretzels?”

Me: *speaking normally* “Well, they’re sold by weight, but they’re usually around two or three dollars.”

Customer: *angrily* “Well, sorry to bother you!”

(I try to process what just happened while the woman walks over to my coworker.)

Woman: “How much are the chocolate pretzels?”

Coworker: “They’re sold by weight, usually around two or three dollars.”

Woman: “Thank you. I’ll have some!”

(To this day I still don’t understand how I offended her.)

(I’m a manager at a small regional chain of takeout- and delivery-only pizza parlors. I’m manning the till one night as this exchange happens:)

Customer: “Carryout for [Customer].”

Me: “Sure thing. One large three-topping pizza. Sausage, bacon, and black olives.”

Customer: “That’s right.”

(At the till, we sell single cans of pop and bottles of water, with the prices clearly marked. Because pop is in higher demand and we sell a lot of it, our supplier gives us a small discount, and it ends up being two cents cheaper per can versus a bottle of water.)

Me: “Would you like to add any drinks to your order?”

Customer: “Sure, let me have one Coke, one Sprite, and a bottle of water.”

Me: “All right, one large three-topping, two cans of pop, and a water. Your total comes to $19.72.”

(The transaction has been pleasant up until this point. The customer pays and looks at her receipt.)

Customer: “You overcharged me for the water! The bottle of water is more expensive than the cans of pop!”

Me: *trying to keep the mood light-hearted* “I know it’s crazy, but we get a small discount from our supplier for the pop, because we sell so much of it, so we can sell it two cents cheaper versus the water.”

Customer: “Are you kidding me?! That is so wrong! Water is a basic human right, not to mention the healthier choice, and you’re charging me more for it.”

Me: “I don’t know what to tell you. The markup percentage is the same, so we’re not making any more money on the water than we are the pop.”

Customer: “This is ridiculous! I’m calling the Better Business Bureau! I don’t think what you are doing here is even legal!”

(The customer stormed out, leaving behind her pizza and drinks, which she’d paid for.)

(A customer pulls up to the first window without ordering at the menu.)

Me: “Hi. Welcome to [Fast Food Place]! May I take your order?”

Customer: “Do you guys carry salad dressing?”

Me: “Yes, sir, we do have packets of ranch dressing—“

Customer: “No, do you have salad dressing?”

Me: *pause* “As I was saying, we have ranch, honey mustard, BBQ—“

Customer: “NO. Do. You. Have. Salad dressing?”

Me: “I have no idea what you’re talking about, and you’re clearly not willing to elaborate. No, we do not carry a product with the generic label of salad dressing. Do you maybe mean Thousand Island, which is pretty much a mix of ketchup and mayonnaise?”

Customer: “No, I mean salad dressing. How have you never heard of salad dressing? Whatever, thanks for nothing.” *drives away*

(A customer orders a large cheeseburger combo over the intercom, then proceeds to the first window to pay, where I am.)

Me: “Hello! Your total will be $1.99.”

Customer: “No, it’s 69 cents.”

Me: “I’m sorry, what? Your order total comes to $1.99.”

Customer: “The price on the menu board said a large combo for 69 cents. I’m only paying 69 cents for my meal.”

(I call the manager over very confused, and he goes outside to physically check the board before coming back.)

Manager: “Sir, the menu says to upgrade any combo to a large costs an additional 69 cents. That isn’t the total cost of the meal.”

(The customer huffs and hands over their payment card.)